For years, trend analyst Edwin van den Hoek has been researching what’s happening in menswear on the catwalk and on the street. He implements this knowledge in the production of color charts, trend boards, brand strategies and fabric designs. Last week he shared his vision of what we can expect for the Fall/Winter 2023/24 season. FashionUnited attended the trend seminar in Amsterdam.
The afternoon began with a presentation of the men’s fashion season color charts. Striking here is the role played by the more intense, bright colors, which Van den Hoek traces back to the ubiquity of the digital screens that surround us. These hues appear both as prints and in monochrome form. According to Van den Hoek, this has made purple make a comeback, which was all too evident in Valentino’s all-monochrome Fall ’22 collection. However, the monochrome “screen colors” are also combined to create a color blocking effect.
But Van den Hoek also mentions the influence of the deliberate and therefore natural dyeing of textiles, which is still important. It is more difficult to achieve bright colors with these techniques, so the softer tones are left in play. According to Van den Hoek’s analysis, the color dark brown is now catching on as part of this spectrum after a long period of development.
Futurism: the robot as inspiration
The rapid technological and digital developments of our time sometimes make it difficult to distinguish science fiction from reality. With pervasive counterfeiting on the one hand, and new inventions that look like they’ve sprung straight out of a sci-fi movie (when they’ve actually become part of our reality), it’s becoming increasingly difficult to separate the real from the fictional, said the trend researcher.
The role that futuristic developments play in our perception of the world is also translated into fashion. Innovation seems to be the focus here and the robot can be recognized as a source of inspiration. Something that could be seen in Prada’s Fall 2022 show, for example, but rather abstract in its use of large, edgy, square silhouettes. Van den Hoek, for example, sees the topic in an almost abstract oversized way with the jackets. The protective equipment for outdoor activities, which gained importance during the Corona period due to the desire for protection, also retains its relevance under this new topic. Shiny, metallic and reflective materials are also commonly seen.
Functionality: deadstock, next gen and zip-off pants
Even after returning to ‘normal’ after the pandemic, we continue to value convenience, but also feel the need to escape from the hustle and seek adventure. The fashion world is responding by focusing on functionality, which makes it possible to think about new forms and applications. That means sleeping bag-like jackets, clothing and accessories with lots of pockets, and a return of zip-up clothing. According to Van den Hoek, the balaclava, which has been seen a lot lately, will not go away either.
More on the balaclava trend:
Functionality also plays an increasingly important role in the selection of materials. Therefore, even more attention is being paid to the functional aspects of using deadstock and next-gen tissues made, for example, from mushrooms. The latter development, according to Van den Hoek, has led to the popularity of a new print with “mushroom-like” shapes, which he calls “the camouflage print of 2022”.
Provocation: playing with masculinity and focusing on the body
Provocation was also an important keyword for Van den Hoek. Playing with the genders is of course not new, but it has become an integral part of entire collections. Everything that was traditionally found in the women’s wardrobe found its way into the men’s collections: from lace to fur, bows, scarves, jewelry, skirts and extravagant floral prints. The male body is also celebrated in a way traditionally found only in women: by showing and emphasizing the body and bare skin. Sheer fabrics of mesh or sheer silk were used extensively, necklines were worked into clothing, and blazers were worn next to bare skin. Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty also launched a men’s lingerie line.
A new and frequently seen theme was the wearing of tight, full-coverage garments depicting the naked body. While this is often used to depict fully nude bodies, Walter van Beirendonck employed it in his interpretation of the balaclava: a full-coverage cap with a face depicted on it. The focus on the body can also be seen in a more subtle way that can be associated with the robotic shapes of Futurism: through short, square bomber jacket silhouettes that emphasize the typically masculine shape of the male body.
All in all, after the Corona-era focus on protection and comfort, the fashion industry is now turning to innovation, provocation and functionality to promote adventure. However, the tendency to rest and withdraw remains, albeit in new forms.
This translated and edited post previously appeared on FashionUnited.nl.